Last summer, when I was just a mere publishing student, we had a guest speaker come into our class to talk about BNC and PubFight. I distinctly remember leaning over to a classmate during the presentation and whispering that I was going to work there.
Honestly, when it came to applying for internships, I put all my eggs in the BNC basket. I wouldn’t recommend doing it this way—it wasn’t the most calculated move I’ve made—but luckily for me it worked out!
When I got the call that the position was mine if I wanted it, I was at the grocery store and I did a silly happy dance. I also had to try harder than I’d like to admit to keep my voice from reaching a pitch that only dogs could hear until I got off the phone. My dance looked something like this:
When I started my contract I realized that my predecessors had left me some pretty big shoes to fill. So I put my game face on and jumped head first into the data, determined to absorb as much knowledge as I possibly could.
I found out quickly that this internship is not for the faint of heart and if you don’t like or know how to use Excel, you should run as fast as possible in the opposite direction. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. However, when you’re elbow deep in spreadsheets of data, it is remarkable what you can find. I found that I am a nerd… not that I was surprised.
I didn’t have to work nearly as hard to fit into the team. It is such a lovely group of people that make coming into work so enjoyable. I cannot thank them enough for the time I have spent as one of them, because that is exactly how I have felt. I have also been very fortunate to meet so many great people through BookNet Canada at CMPTO, Tech Forum, and other events.
My goal by the end of my time here was to be able to have a conversation with one of my brilliant coworkers (he knows who he is) that didn’t end with me staring at him blankly with my mouth open. I am proud to say that at least once, I was able to accomplish that goal (I think). I have also had the pleasure of working on several fascinating research reports, including: literary award studies, monthly market share reports, The Canadian Book Market, and three upcoming Canadian consumer study reports.
Needless to say, I will be sad to end my time as the BNC intern but I am looking forward to new adventures to come.
